Multiple-tray photographic print agitator

ABSTRACT

An agitator comprising a bottom tank in which water is kept at a definite level and at an even temperature, an inlet water supply and a drain pipe. Inlet water supply operates a water wheel device by conveying water through an inclined plate having orifices at its upper end so that water is directed against the vanes of a water wheel. A crank is connected to the water wheel and to a pivoted frame within said tank to rock the frame. The frame is adapted to support print trays so that their bottoms depend into the tank and below the level of the water therein. The liquids within the developer trays are thus maintained at a constant temperature by the water within the tank.

United States Patent 2,384,898 9/1945 Dietert ABSTRACT: An agitatorcomprising a bottom tank in which water is kept at a definite level andat an even temperature, an inlet water supply and a drain pipe. Inletwater supply operates a water wheel device by conveying water through aninclined plate having orifices at its upper end so that water isdirected against the vanes ofa water wheel. A crank is connected to thewater wheel and to a pivoted frame within said tank to rock the frame.The frame is adapted to support print trays so that their bottoms dependinto the tank and below the level of the water therein. The liquidswithin the developer trays are thus maintained at a constant temperatureby the water within the tank.

44 9i3 46 IO SHEET 1 BF 2 PATENTEU mu 1 1972 STOP BAT INVIZNTOR. FRANKRUMMO W ATTURNE 5 PATENTEU JAN 1 W2 SHEET E OF 2 INVENTOR. FRANK RUMMOMULTIPLE-TRAY PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINT AGITATOR This invention relates to amultiple-tray photographic print agitator.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a multipletrayphotographic print agitator which will be actuated by a water wheeldevice that is supplied by the water that maintains the tank at thedesired level and wherein the trays will be supported upon a framerocked by the water wheel device and in such a manner that the bottomsof the trays are extended into the even temperature water in the tank.

It is another object of the invention to provide a photographic printagitator which will support the three trays needed for developing, stopbath and fixer in a side-by-side relationship and wherein all of thetrays will be rocked to cause the flow of the liquids therein to passover the prints and wherein this liquid is being maintained at an eventemperature with the liquids of all of the trays by the body of waterlying thereunder and in which the trays are rocked by a motor connectedto the inlet supply of water to the tank.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a photographic printagitator with a frame in which the print trays are suspended into thewater of the tank and in which the supporting frame is notched toprovide easy access to the edges of the print trays for easy removalfrom the rockable tray support frame.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a photographic printagitator in which the water in the agitator can be maintainedautomatically by maintaining the height of the overflow for the waterand the water continually touching the bottoms of the processing trayswhile the supporting frame for the trays are continually rocked and theliquids in the trays being sloshed back and forth in the trays.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a photographic printagitator, having the above objects in mind which is of simpleconstruction, has a minimum number of parts, compact, easy to assembleand disassemble, inexpensive to manufacture, easy to maintain, ofpleasing appearance, durable, efficient and effective in use.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to thefollowing detailed description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of the multiple-tray photographicagitator embodying the features of the present inventron.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the print agitatoras viewed on line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view of the agitator as viewedgenerally on line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view of thetiltable tray supporting frame pivot bearing by which the frame ismounted in the tank for rocking movement and as viewed on line 44 ofFlG.3.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the parts of the printagitator lifted upwardly from the tank.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the water wheel agitator andcrank connections with the tray frame by which to effect the rockingmovement thereof.

FIG. 7 is an end elevational view of the crank and link connection withthe tray supporting frame.

Referring now to the figures, 10 represents a tank, open at the top andgenerally rectangular in shape into which water is tended through awater supply pipe 11 having a throttle valve 12 with a manipulatablehandle. Water entering the pipe 11 passes the valve 12 in any desiredquantity determined by the adjustment of the handle 13 and to a waterwheel device 14 having an inclined nozzle plate 16 adapted to urge waterunder pressure against a vane-type water wheel 17 that drives a crank 18connected through a link 19 to a print tray rockable frame 21. It isdesirable in a photographic print developer to maintain the temperatureof the print emulsion and working liquids contained in trays 22, 23 and24 at a temperature between 68 and 72 .F. This automatic controlling ofthe temperature of the processing chemicals provided in the trays whichare mounted in the tray support frame 21 will be maintained by the tank10 being filled with the water supplied by the pipe 11 maintained by theheight of the overflow pipe 26 that extends from the tank 10 and throughthe wall of one end of the tank, the same end of the tank in which thewater supply inlet pipe 11 is connected with its valve 12 and to anoutlet pipe 27 connected to the pipe 26 by coupling nuts 28. The heightof the overflow pipe 26 into the upper end of which water will flow issuch as to keep the water touching at all times the bottoms of theprocessing trays 22, 23 and 24.

The tray supporting frame 21 is four sided and at its opposite endsthere depends pivot support arms 31 and 32 having respectively pivotprojections 33 and 34 which extend into journal bearing sleeve inserts35 mounted in the inner faces of the walls above the tank and below theupper edges thereof. These pivot projections 33 and 34 are inlongitudinal alignment and the trays supporting frame 21 will be rockedupon the sleeves 35 in the tank wall by the water agitator 14 in themanner to be described more in detail and at the same time maintainingthe booms of the trays 22, 23 and 24 within the water levels of thewater tank 10.

The sides of the frame 21 are provided with hand notches 37 to serve inthe locating of the trays in the frame and for the purpose of permittingthe fingers of the hands to be placed under ends of the trays forlifting the trays readily out of the frame 21. The trays 22, 23 and 24each have a top flange 38 for the support of the tray on the top edgesurfaces of the frame. The tray 22 may be filled with a print developer,the tray 23 having a stop bath liquid and the tray 24 having a fixerliquid. The photographic prints will in order be placed into therespective trays 22, 23 and 24.

It can be seen that the liquids in the trays will be sloshed back andforth along the length of the respective trays and over the surfaces ofthe photographic paper or prints and being coated with a sensitizedemulsion or coating and which is worked upon by the respective fluids. Agood flow of the liquid is maintained over the coated surfaces of theprint and at the same time the bottoms of the tray and the liquidstherewithin are kept and maintained at a controlled temperature from thewater filling the tank 10.

The water wheel supply device 14 for the water entering the tank servesas well as above mentioned through the turning of its water wheel 17 toeffect the rocking of the tray frame. This water wheel supply device 14comprises a cylindrical shaped outer housing open at its supply end 39and to its inner end 41 there is connected a portion 42 of the supplypipe 11 that is connected to the supply pipe 11 through a waterconnection fitting extending through the wall of the tank as indicatedat 43 having coupling nuts and from these throttle valve 12 by which theforce of the water entering the cylinder is determined. This cylinderindicated at 40 has a base 44 that can rest upon the bottom of the tank10 and connected thereto against displacement by bottom-fastening screws45 and 46. The inclined nozzle plate 16 lies within the cylinder 40 andhas a plurality of nozzle holes or orifices 47 through which water isextended under force and directed against the respective vanes 48, therebeing four in number, to effect rotation of the water wheel 17 in thedirection of the arrows as viewed in FIG. 2. The crank 18 has its shank49 extending diametrically across the sides of the cylinder wall 40 andjoumaled therein for rotation. The crank 18 will turn as the wateristhrust against the vanes 48 and the link 19 that is pivotallyconnected at 51 to an outwardly turned end of the crank 18 and held inplace thereon by washer elements 52 and 53. The upper end of the link 19is connected to a depending arm 54 that has an inwardly extending pin 55and washers 56 and 57 so that it can pivot upon the pin and so that asthe crank 18 is given full rotation about its shank 49, the link 19 willbe drawn downwardly pulling with it the side of the frame 21 to therebyeffect a downward rocking movement of one side of the frame and then asthe crank 18 completes its rotation to move upwardly the frame 21 willbe tilted upwardly beyond its level position so as to cause the flow ofthe liquid in the trays 22, 23

and 24 to be sloshed from opposite ends of the trays. The movement ofthe tray supporting frame 21 as effected by the crank 18 and link 19 isillustrated in FIG. 7, the crank 18 rotating about its shank 49 andmaking complete rotations as illustrated by the arrow shown in FIG. 6.

It should be apparent that the water wheel device 14 not only serves torock the tray supporting frame 21 but it also serves for the maintainingof the supply of water and keeps the water well circulated within thetank so that the temperature of the water in the tank will be more orless automatically kept within the range of 68 to 72 F. throughout thefull water body. The temperature of the water is of course effected inthe area of the outlet end 39 of the water wheel cylinder 40.

For the best use of the fluid in the developing trays in the trays 22,23 and 24, it is important that these liquids be kept at this eventemperature and this is done by maintaining the water level in the tankwell over the bottoms of the print developing trays during the rockingof the frame. The tray supporting frame 21 and the bottoms of the trayswill of course also work in the water in the tank to agitate the waterand further help to maintain the temperature evenly throughout the fullbody of the water.

What is claimed is:

l. A multiple-tray photographic print agitator comprising a bottom tank,a water wheel device connected to the water supply pipe, said waterwheel device comprising a cylinder shaped housing, a nozzle platemounted in the housing and inclined upwardly and outwardly from thebottom of the housing and the end of said pipe respectively, a vane-typewater wheel journaled in the housing behind the nozzle plate, saidnozzle plate having orifices in the upper portion thereof for directinga stream of water to the upper part of the housing and against the vanesof the water wheel, a crank extending through the housing and attachedto the water wheel, a print tray supporting frame pivotally connected tothe opposite ends of the water tank for rocking movement, print trayssupported in the supporting frame and one side of said frame having apin projection, and link means extending between the water wheel crankand the pin projection of the frame, whereby as the water wheel isturned the tray supporting frame will be rocked.

2. A multiple-tray photographic print agitator as defined in claim 1 anda drain pipe in said tank for maintaining a water level within the tankabout the print trays depending from the support frame.

3. A multiple-tray photographic print agitator as defined in claim 2 andsaid trays having a flanged top edge and resting on the top of the framewhile depending downwardly therethrough, said frame having notches topermit the extension of the operators fingers under the flanged topedges of the trays to facilitate removal of said trays from the frame.

4. A multiple-tray photographic print agitator as set forth in claim 2and said tray supporting frame being pivotally connected to the ends ofthe tank by means of depending members having outwardly extendingprojections, said tank having openings with bushings for receiving theprojections of the depending members of the frame and said dependingmembers connected with the tank depending from the frame sideintermediate the length of the frame, said water wheel device beinglocated in the tank at one side thereof.

1. A multiple-tray photographic print agitator comprising a bottom tank,a water wheel device connected to the water supply pipe, said waterwheel device comprising a cylinder shaped housing, a nozzle platemounted in the housing and inclined upwardly and outwardly from thebottom of the housing and the end of said pipe respectively, a vane-typewater wheel journaled in the housing behind the nozzle plate, saidnozzle plate having orifices in the upper portion thereof for directinga stream of water to the upper part of the housing and against the vanesof the water wheel, a crank extending through the housing and attachedto the water wheel, a print tray supporting frame pivotally connected tothe opposite ends of the water tank for rocking movement, print trayssupported in the supporting frame and one side of said frame having apin projection, and link means extending between the water wheel crankand the pin projection of the frame, whereby as the water wheel isturned the tray supporting frame will be rocked.
 2. A multiple-trayphotographic print agitator as defined in claim 1 and a drain pipe insaid tAnk for maintaining a water level within the tank about the printtrays depending from the support frame.
 3. A multiple-tray photographicprint agitator as defined in claim 2 and said trays having a flanged topedge and resting on the top of the frame while depending downwardlytherethrough, said frame having notches to permit the extension of theoperator''s fingers under the flanged top edges of the trays tofacilitate removal of said trays from the frame.
 4. A multiple-trayphotographic print agitator as set forth in claim 2 and said traysupporting frame being pivotally connected to the ends of the tank bymeans of depending members having outwardly extending projections, saidtank having openings with bushings for receiving the projections of thedepending members of the frame and said depending members connected withthe tank depending from the frame side intermediate the length of theframe, said water wheel device being located in the tank at one sidethereof.